Statute of limitations on debt: look up your state
Your debt is old, and a collector still wants you to pay it. The statute of limitations on debt gives a collector three to six years to sue you in most states. Pick a state to see the years by debt type, or call us if a collector sued you on it.
Sued on an old debt?
A collector sued you, or said it would, on a debt you think is too old. Suing on a debt past the time limit breaks federal law, but you must raise it in court yourself. Call our line to talk it through, and you decide whether a consumer lawyer in your state hears about your case.
Talk to a consumer lawyer about this debt
Call (844) 393-5856- You call during business hours and say which debt it is.
- You answer a few questions about the debt and any court date.
- You decide whether a consumer lawyer sees your details.
Calls go to our debt help line during business hours. The call costs you nothing, and you give up nothing by calling. Debt Collector Lookup matches people with consumer lawyers; we are not a law firm or a debt collector.
4 years
Texas time limit to sue.
So in Texas, count 4 years forward from your last payment to find the cutoff.
Find the date you last paid and count forward 4 years.
three years
New York limit since 2022.
So since April 7, 2022, a New York collector cannot sue or threaten to sue on a debt older than three years.
Check the date of your first missed payment before you talk to the collector.
15 years
Illinois judgments from 2026.
So a new Illinois consumer debt judgment can be enforced for 15 years and cannot be revived after that.
Look up the date on any Illinois judgment against you.
How long can a collector sue in my state?
This table comes from a nonprofit's state comparison. Its credit card column is a summary, not a ruling for every card. Check your own dates and contract before you rely on a number.
| State | Credit cards | Written contract | Promissory note | Spoken agreement |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 3 | 6 | 6 | 6 |
| Alaska | 3 | 6 | 3 | 6 |
| Arizona | 6 | 6 | 6 | 3 |
| Arkansas | 5 | 5 | 5 | 3 |
| California | 4 | 4 | 4 | 2 |
| Colorado | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 |
| Connecticut | 6 | 6 | 6 | 3 |
| Delaware | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| D.C. | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| Florida | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 |
| Georgia | 6 | 6 | 6 | 4 |
| Hawaii | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 |
| Idaho | 4 | 5 | 5 | 4 |
| Illinois | 5 | 10 | 10 | 5 |
| Indiana | 6 | 10 | 10 | 5 |
| Iowa | 5 | 10 | 10 | 5 |
| Kansas | 3 | 5 | 5 | 3 |
| Kentucky | 10 | 10 | 15 | 5 |
| Louisiana | 3 | 10 | 10 | 10 |
| Maine | 6 | 6 | 20 | 6 |
| Maryland | 3 | 3 | 6 | 3 |
| Massachusetts | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 |
| Michigan | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 |
| Minnesota | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 |
| Mississippi | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| Missouri | 5 | 10 | 10 | 5 |
| Montana | 5 | 8 | 8 | 5 |
| Nebraska | 4 | 5 | 5 | 4 |
| Nevada | 4 | 6 | 3 | 4 |
| New Hampshire | 3 | 3 | 6 | 3 |
| New Jersey | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 |
| New Mexico | 4 | 6 | 6 | 4 |
| New York | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| North Carolina | 3 | 3 | 5 | 3 |
| North Dakota | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 |
| Ohio | 6 | 6 | 8 | 4 |
| Oklahoma | 3 | 5 | 6 | 3 |
| Oregon | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 |
| Pennsylvania | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
| Rhode Island | 10 | 4 | 10 | 10 |
| South Carolina | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| South Dakota | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 |
| Tennessee | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 |
| Texas | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
| Utah | 4 | 6 | 6 | 4 |
| Vermont | 6 | 6 | 14 | 6 |
| Virginia | 3 | 5 | 6 | 3 |
| Washington | 6 | 6 | 6 | 3 |
| West Virginia | 5 | 10 | 6 | 5 |
| Wisconsin | 6 | 6 | 10 | 6 |
| Wyoming | 8 | 10 | 10 | 8 |
New York cut its limit to three years from April 7, 2022, and a later payment cannot revive it, says the New York Attorney General. Texas uses four years, per the Texas State Law Library.
Can a payment restart the clock?
In some states the clock starts when you miss a payment. In others it starts from your last payment. A partial payment, or saying you owe an old debt, can restart the clock.
The FTC adds that in some states even admitting the debt in writing resets the clock. Ask questions in writing, and do not agree to pay until you know where you stand.
Can collectors still contact me about an old debt?
An old debt does not disappear. Collectors can still write and call. They cannot sue or threaten to sue once the time limit has passed, and doing so breaks federal law.
If they sue anyway, you must show up and raise the time limit yourself. Federal student loans have no time limit. Read what to do if you are sued, or send a validation letter to learn the dates.
What changed in Illinois in 2026?
Illinois SB 1738 took effect January 1, 2026. New consumer debt judgments in Illinois are enforceable for 15 years, with no revival after that. Read the official notice.
Sources
- CFPB: old debts (consumerfinance.gov).
- FTC: debt collection FAQs (consumer.ftc.gov).
- InCharge (nonprofit): time limits by state (incharge.org).
- Texas State Law Library: time-barred debts (guides.sll.texas.gov).
- New York Attorney General: three-year limit on old debts (ag.ny.gov).
- BillTrack50: Illinois SB 1738 summary (billtrack50.com).
Last checked October 2026.
What to do now
Did a collector sue you in your state on an old debt? Call our line before the answer date on your summons. If you have not been sued, send the form with the collector's name and the date you last paid. Sending it costs nothing, and it goes to us, not to the collector.
Sending this costs nothing and commits you to nothing. We keep your answers with the collector's name, and you decide whether a consumer lawyer sees them. Debt Collector Lookup is not a law firm or a debt collector. The form does not schedule a call; to talk, call our debt help line during business hours.